Achyut Prashast Singh
India
Positives:
-The performances of Song Kang-ho and Kang Dong-won are extremely realistic. Their bonding is a treat to watch.
-The film has some intensely thrilling and tension-inducing moments due to which it doesn't let go of your attention.
-The action scenes are very well executed and placed accordingly.
-The editing is top notch as the film doesn't bore for even a second.
-The film has a powerful climax which needs to be seen.
-Some bits of humour are very well executed.
Negatives:
-Well, nothing much!
Repeat Value: Yes
On the whole, SECRET REUNION is a very gripping and entertaining action film. Watch it soon, with your best friend!
Was this review helpful to you?
- The performances of Kim Rae-won and Han Suk-kyu are excellent.
- The action scenes have been shot and executed very well.
- The film is very well edited and there are no boring scenes in the film; it's very gripping.
- The screenplay is excellent and watertight. Unpredictability of most of the sequences makes it even better.
- The climax is quite excellent and very effective.
Negatives:
Nil.
Repeat value: Yes
THE PRISON is an extremely well-made crime action film which serves the viewers with the best stuff it has.
Was this review helpful to you?
The first hour is a little slow. But that doesn't mean it isn't good. There are many outstanding sequences in the first hour. Emotions are very strong in portrayal throughout the entire film. There are many sequences bound to leave you spellbound, and you'll find yourself short of words to describe the visual excellence of the film.
The second hour is totally gripping. Not a single second is wasted. The entire second hour is entirely enjoyable, as the real grandeur of the film comes to be seen here. It's a film which has importance not only in South Korean Cinema, but also in world cinema due to its sheer excellence.
Choi Min-sik is ultimately powerful in the role he plays. Watch him act throughout the entire film, and you won't feel like he's acting but indeed living the character. Rest of the cast is praiseworthy as not a single performance goes over the top.
The film is extremely strong on the technical front. Be it the visual effects, the action sequences or the cinematography, everything is excellent. The powerful BGM enhances the viewing experience, and certain well executed sequences will hold your breath for sure.
THE ADMIRAL undoubtedly is one of the best South Korean films, especially in terms of presentation. You're bound to love it, but to love it completely make sure you don't find the first hour boring.
Was this review helpful to you?
mind-boggling thrills and a watertight script. It's a film targeted at
youth like us and that's another reason why I enjoyed it very much.
The film's excellence is visible from the very first scene: it's the
best part of the film in my opinion. As the film progresses, it turns
out to be something extremely surprising. If you've seen the trailer
you might be having great expectations from this film, and happily it
doesn't disappoint.
Ji Chang-wook fits in the lead role and does an excellent job. Same for
the rest of the cast, especially his friends and the antagonists.
The visuals are breathtaking, and the action scenes are "explosive".
The editing is decent and some dialogues are memorable.
FABRICATED CITY is an impressive action thriller which will be liked
more by the youth than any other audience.
Was this review helpful to you?
PANDORA is a film which takes some time to build up, but when it does, it doesn't let go of the grip it has on you. I was seriously left spellbound as to what would happen next. Certain scenes are so well filmed that they deserve a standing ovation.
The performances are extremely mindblowing. They hold you very well, especially Kim Nam-gil's performance in the climax. I mustn't forget to mention that I was seriously crying and shedding tears while watching the emotional scenes. After TRAIN TO BUSAN, this is the second South Korean film which made me cry.
The technical aspects are amazing. The cinematography is decent, the visual effects are excellent and the action sequences: simply jaw- dropping.
PANDORA is a film which isn't a must see but indeed a SHOULD see movie.
Was this review helpful to you?
- Song Kang-ho once again impresses with his natural and groundreaking act. Every other actor gets to perform very well.
- The film has a perfect blend of comedy and drama. While the former does make you laugh, the latter too makes you emotional and moved at times.
- The editing is very neat as the film never bores at all.
- The cinematography is excellent in certain sequences.
- The story is very well written and the satire is praiseworthy.
Negatives:
Nil.
THE PRESIDENT'S BARBER does justice to what its leading man Song Kang-ho is capable of. It's an important film which needs to be seen!
Was this review helpful to you?
- The action sequences are exciting and delightful to watch.
- Some thrills in the beginning are induced quite well, while some simply won't work if you've seen the trailer.
- The film's running time is decent; it's not stretched too long.
- Gang Dong-won delivers a decent act, and so do others.
- Some emotional scenes work in the second half.
- Technically, the film is a pure gem. The visual effects and cinematography have been handled very adequately.
Negatives:
- The film loses momentum after a big action sequence and this is exactly where some inconsistency shows up.
- The direction is not totally up to the mark: while the first half is excellently sketched, the second one looks slightly underdeveloped. Fortunately, the film picks up momentum at a high point, thanks to the action once again.
- The character development of Gang Dong-won's character is not good in the second half. Some changes seem way too abrupt and may not go down well with all.
- The inducement of some dramatic subplots at peak moments slows down the pace of the movie.
Repeat value: Only for the action sequences .
I had too many expectations because of the film being visually catchy and action packed. But GOLDEN SLUMBER is nevertheless an engaging action thriller which keeps you engaged for the most part. It stays true to its genre and that's good enough.
Was this review helpful to you?
Performances by every actor are great and realistic. Direction is superb and there's that unique "indie film" feel to it. DERAILED is a strongly scripted action film which sadly might not have seen by many people, but nevertheless leaves a strong impact, further haunting you especially after the end. It can even make you cry.
Was this review helpful to you?
Han Hyo-joo is amazing. It's a pleasure to see an actress like her step into this genre. She's pretty, of course, and not just her looks but even her strong performance won't let you take your eyes off her. Sol Kyung-gu: mastermind genius! He's such a great actor. His performance is excellent and is to be watched out for. Jung Woo-sung: EXCELLENT. He's not just a manly, handsome actor but also a strong performer. These three actors are simply one of the best things about this film, apart from the tight screenplay, stunning action sequences, splendid cinematography and edge of the seat thrills.
The film has rich production values. What also impressed me is that the directors have not wasted even a single second and have told the story very skilfully.
COLD EYES, undoubtedly is one of the best action thriller films, ever, ever, ever. It's so good that I would love to see it again and again and again. It has got a great repeat value.
Was this review helpful to you?
Not going into too much depth, I would just like to say that INSIDE MEN is really entertaining. For the first time I watched a 3 hours long movie with so much interest. Yes, it's the director's cut I watched. Long, but no dull moments. The performances of all actors, including my favourite Lee Byung-hun are excellent. He rightly won the best actor award for this movie.
The film's visuals need a special appreciation as we hardly come across political thrillers with good visuals. Surprisingly, INSIDE MEN has terrific visuals that keep you engaged. The story and screenplay are excellent, the dialogues are too good. The action scenes are well filmed and executed. Cinematography is top notch and many beautifully filmed shots will be in your mind forever.
Overall, INSIDE MEN is a political thriller which is highly recommended. Needless to say, South Korean filmmakers prove themselves great yet again.
Was this review helpful to you?
ASURA completely belongs to Jung Woo-sung, who handsomely plays his part. This time, I was seriously impressed with Hwang Jung-min. I haven't seen any other of his films except this one and the disappointing NEW WORLD, but I can say that this is his like the best performance he's ever delivered. No words for Kwak Do-won: he's an actor who plays every single role naturally and as usual, brilliantly.
The screenplay of the film is fully engaging with decent performances, action sequences, chases and everything you can expect from the film. And there's not only brutality: there's a lot more than that in this film. It raises questions which we perhaps come across daily. The answers lie in the questions themselves.
The action is this film's biggest strength. The well-choreographed action has a great repeat value as well. It's excellent enough to satisfy any action lover. Besides, the emotional scenes too generate emotions from the viewers, and in the end, you realize what anything bad can lead to.
ASURA is indeed the perfect example of how mad we the humans actually are. It doesn't only entertain you with its high-octane action but also strips before you the layers of madness a human mind has and can have.
Was this review helpful to you?
Director Kang Je-kyu binds us emotionally into the tale with perfection sprinkled all over; the unfolding is so convincing that I felt connected to the brothers (played by the very excellent and unbeatable actors Jang Dong-gun and Won Bin) right from the beginning. Jang delivers a perfectly neat act and you feel for him since the very beginning, while Won makes you cry along with him. This is seriously an award deserving performance from both the actors, and undoubtedly the film won a lot of awards and love from people all over. Rest of the actors too add glory to the film's victory.
The technical aspects need to be heavily praised, as not for a second it's felt that the film has a low quality or production values. The scale is pretty high, and the production values are rich. The war sequences, rather and better to be called action sequences, are extremely well choreographed and are enjoyable enough to be seen again. The cinematography is splendid and the lens doesn't capture a single shot without perfection.
The screenplay and editing are very well dealt with, as even at 148 minutes (I have seen the director's cut) the film doesn't bore for a second. The moment you think it's over, it goes on to deliver some chilling portrayal of human emotions and continues the narration with utmost sincerity. The climax is very well done, and the last few minutes had me constantly crying. Every emotion could be felt.
TAEGUGKI is undoubtedly a major triumph for the South Korean cinema. When I finished watching the film as well as shedding tears, I was left silent as well as asking myself a question again and again, "Why didn't I see this gem before?"
Was this review helpful to you?
THE KING is dominated totally by the handsome and skilled actors, JO IN- SUNG and JUNG WOO-SUNG. You can totally trust them for their performances are so good that for a moment it's difficult to believe they're "acting". Rest of the cast does a great job too, especially RYU JUN-YEOL, who shows he's a terrific actor with his strong facial expressions and fighting skills.
The screenplay is racy, though at times one can feel that the film could've been a little shorter. The duration factor is taken care of by the pleasant background score, splendid visuals, powerful emotions, surprising thrills and some well-placed and choreographed action sequences.
I can only praise THE KING more and more for its cinematic excellence. It's not just entertaining, but has some really creative and artistic shots which deserve a huge praise. It's a solid action-crime drama that immediately needs to be seen!
Was this review helpful to you?
Ha Jung-woo is one of my favourite actors, and his performance is a major asset to this film. The transformation he undergoes is a treat to watch and his look suits him very well. Kang Dong Won is menacing at times, and delivers a terrific performance for a role that seems to be tailor-made for him. Cho Jin-woong and Ma Dong-seok are excellent and provide a good comic relief. Other actors like Lee Sung-min and Yoon Ji-hye, Lee Gyeung-young plays their parts extremely well. The best thing is that all actors fits in their respective roles.
Direction by Yoon Jong-bin is excellent. The story and screenplay are both excellent, as is the editing since the film never bores at all. The technical aspects, for which the film won a lot of acclaim and accolades, are the major strength of KUNDO. The action sequences are jaw-dropping and are bound to impress action fans. The visuals effects are extremely impressive, as is the splendid cinematography. I really loved one shot in the climax action sequence with Ha Jung-woo, which showed him walking, with a good usage of sound effects while maintaining a heavy impact.
The music too is a plus point of KUNDO, as it enhances the mood from time to time. Visually the film is like a fantasy.
KUNDO: AGE OF THE RAMPANT is undoubtedly a great action-fantasy epic that deserves to be seen, at any cost.
Was this review helpful to you?
The lead actor Kim Soo-hyun is good in his performance and impresses at times.The production values are praiseworthy, especially towards the endThe action scenes are well shot and executed.The concept nevertheless is intriguing despite of the execution.
Negatives:
The screenplay is engaging in the first 30 minutes, but things start to go out of hand as it starts to get convolutedIn my opinion, predictability is not something that is bad. In case of REAL, the predictability of a few basic things is what makes one feel less excited to know what's going to happen further.The editing is disastrous, as there are plenty of scenes which could've been easily done away with. Right after the first half was over, I just wanted the film to be over as soon as possible.The action is good, but the placement is another major disappointment, as it's not placed when you need, except in the climax.
Repeat value: No
REAL is amongst the list of South Korean films which have disappointed me. And it's sad for action movie lover like me to have an action film in that list.
Was this review helpful to you?
